Vital signs of 15 people trapped in the collapsed State Audit Office building in Chatuchak district were detected Saturday, raising hopes that rescuers will save them within 72 hours.
The death toll from the building collapse stands at nine, while 78 people remain missing and their identities unconfirmed, said the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
Suriyan Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, said on Saturday rescuers have detected vital signs for 15 people trapped in the 30-storey building, still under construction when it came down. Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear rubble and get rescue teams to the victims.
"Rescue time is set at 72 hours, as [starvation] and dehydration are possible. Victims risk shock and death if rescue takes longer," Mr Suriyan said. The department aims to conduct the rescue operation within 48 hours. Vital signs were detected for trapped individuals who were in groups of three to seven under the debris.
Water and food supplies have not yet reached the areas where signs of life were detected, as they are about three metres deep, Mr Suriyan said.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt inspected the collapse site on Saturday morning and said that crane trucks will lift debris and concrete segments from the site.
The skyscraper, located on an 11-rai site on Kamphaeng Phet Road in Chatuchak district, came crashing down following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on Friday afternoon. Work began on the 2.1-billion-baht building in 2020, and the construction had reached its highest floor.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is sending 130 volunteer engineers to inspect high-rise buildings in the capital. About 200 buildings need to be assessed, particularly in Din Daeng and Huai Khwang districts. Two condo buildings in Lat Phrao must be evacuated due to safety concerns, said Mr Chadchart.
